On the Texans: Performance down the stretch is crucial

ON THE TEXANS

Published 6:30 am, Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Texans running back Steve Slaton, right, has gone three straight games without a fumble.

Texans running back Steve Slaton, right, has gone three straight games without a fumble.

Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle

On the Texans: Performance down the stretch is crucial

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The Texans must want to get coach Gary Kubiak and his assistants fired.

That's the only reasonable explanation for their remarkable second-half collapse against Indianapolis and their proclivity for blowing close games they have a chance of winning.

Owner Bob McNair wants to keep Kubiak. He doesn't want to be forced to fire him. But the way the Texans have been performing in their three-game losing streak, they might win only one or two more, and McNair would have no choice.

Players know better than anyone that a new coach means a new system and a lot of new players on the roster. If that's what the players want, they'll continue to stink it up at crunch time.

It's called the loser's lament. They commit penalties at the worst time. They can't make a big play when it's needed the most. They have this false bravado that turns to falsetto when the pressure's on.

Here are some of the things the Texans desperately need over the last five games.

Getting a grip

Quarterback Matt Schaub can't turn it over three times and have another horrendous half like he did Sunday. When receiver Andre Johnson gets both hands on the ball in the end zone, he's got to make the catch, and it doesn't matter who's covering him. You don't become the best receiver in the league by not making plays like that.

Steve Slaton needs to continue the improvement he's made in the last couple of games. He's gone three in a row without a fumble. He averaged 5.7 yards a carry against the Colts and caught seven passes. He's now second on the team with 44 catches and still leads the team with seven touchdowns.

On defense, middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans, outside linebacker Brian Cushing, strong safety Bernard Pollard, end Mario Williams and cornerback Dunta Robinson have to make big plays when the pressure's on. They are the players their teammates count on. They can't miss tackles or get beaten on coverage. No more showing nothing but goose eggs on the stat sheet, either.

McNair isn't the kind of owner to make knee-jerk decisions, which is wise. Some want Kubiak fired now without any idea of who would replace him. I'm not predicting it, but what if the Texans won their last five games to finish 10-6 and make the playoffs?

Teams that fire coaches now are the ones with brain-dead owners looking to make a quick splash to appease fans and media. They're usually among the worst teams in the NFL. They make moves at this time of the season and then compound the problem by making another wrong move.

Playing the waiting game

McNair is going to wait because it's the right thing to do. The Texans are capable of beating Jacksonville even though the Jaguars are 4-1 at home. Then they host Seattle and visit St. Louis. If they beat the Jaguars, they should have a three-game winning streak and an 8-6 record with two games remaining against Miami and New England.

Playing on the road should be an advantage for the Texans. In Kubiak's last two seasons, one thing we could count on was them playing well at Reliant Stadium. This season they've treated Reliant like solitary confinement. They're 2-4 at home and 3-2 on the road.

Another thing we've been able to count on is the Texans playing well in December. In Kubiak's three seasons, they're 10-5 in December — 3-2 in his first two seasons and 4-1 last season.

They can't afford another 3-2 stretch because it'll get them another 8-8 record. They need to be at least 4-1. They need to play well and make that Jan. 3 season finale against New England a must-win situation.